Dirty dancing

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT you had finally mastered the trickiest postures your yoga class had to offer you, word is there's a new fitness craze on the block - and it involves a wholly different class of moves.

Pole dancing may sound sleazy rather than sporty, but it is limbering up to become the next aerobics.

Hip members-only gym the Third Space, in London's Soho, reckons it is the first fitness centre to offer 'erotic dance' classes to its members, and what was an experimental Wednesday afternoon slot has become a permanent fixture due to popular demand.

Helen Jackson, a 25-year-old nude dancer at London strip joint the Raymond Revue Bar - and a fully qualified gym and aerobics instructor - is the brains and choreographer behind the class. She first had the idea about three years ago, but it wasn't until she started working part-time at the Third Space when it opened last May that she decided to see what potential it had. 'It was an idea I'd been playing with for ages and it has really kicked off,' she says. 'The class is always packed, even though 5pm to 6pm is not the ideal time for people who work, and I'm constantly getting calls for private tuition.

'Although there's only one class a week so far, I'd love to do more. We've even had a few men turning up - I'm not sure whether they wanted to have a go or just see what was going on. But it's for women only.'

Jackson puts wannabe pole dancers through their paces dressed to kill in sparkly stilettos, a satin bra and a skirt that would be forgiven for thinking it was a belt. 'We use feather boas and long gloves in the class and I encourage the girls to wear high heels and sexy outfits,' says Jackson. 'In fact, you almost have to wear high heels because it gives you more height, it gets you in the mood and makes you feel sexy and it affects your posture when you dance.'